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Audemars Piguet’s partnership with Ralph & Russo shows us how couture and horlogerie are a match made in style heaven

By Celine Yap 15 September, 2020

This collaboration brings together two family-owned companies driven by a strong spirit of independence and dedication to age-old craftsmanship, creativity and reinvention

Mark your calendars for 2 October 9pm (Singapore time), ladies and gents. That’s when British luxury fashion house Ralph & Russo will be staging its upcoming digital runway show. To be revealed exclusively on its brand website, the show will feature the spring/summer 2021 ready-to-wear collection – accented by a selection of timepieces from Audemars Piguet, of course.

Expect to see the latest Royal Oak and Royal Oak Concept models as they highlight the savoir-faire of both houses. If you’re wondering exactly how well these Audemars Piguet icons will look against Ralph & Russo’s dazzling, glamorous silhouettes, here’s a gallery on 12 different looks featuring the watches and the fashion brand’s autumn/winter 19/20 collection.

The Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm was just released in 2020. Conceived for slender wrists, it appears in four key variations. Meanwhile, a feminine Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon combines Audemars Piguet’s flair for complications with a designer’s eye and a jeweller’s touch. Its multi-layered dial recalls the ruffled textures of a couture gown, and the frosted gold case comes from a jewellery crafting technique called hammering.

Audemars Piguet. Ralph & Russo, partnership, SS21 ready-to-wear, Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm, Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon, frosted gold
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon in frosted pink gold

Dynamic duo

Audemars Piguet is known for its fondness for cross multiple creative disciplines. To date, it has worked with numerous contemporary artists, musicians and athletes from all over the world. This partnership with Ralph & Russo, however, was its first foray into fashion.

Says Audemars Piguet CEO François-Henry Bennahmias, “Our partnership with Ralph & Russo came together naturally. I was struck by Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo’s warm welcome when we first met. They represent talent at the highest level mixed with simplicity and authenticity. The fun part was when we realised that our watches had already been paired with their exceptional designs many times by clients in real life, who didn’t need to wait for this partnership to match our two brands!”

Audemars Piguet. Ralph & Russo, partnership, SS21 ready-to-wear, Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm, Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon, frosted gold
Hands up if you’ve always felt that watches are sorely missing from fashion runways

Designers Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo themselves have long been admirers and clients of Audemars Piguet. Naturally, they were thrilled to be partners.

Says the duo, “Beyond our personal affinity for the brand, we felt a strong connection and alignment through our mutual dedication to both uncompromising craftsmanship and the creation of wonderfully unique styles that withstand the test of time. Given we both share the same core values and ethos for our respective brands, we feel this is just the beginning of what we hope will be a longstanding relationship and look forward to officially launching our partnership with Audemars Piguet this fall.”

Click here to browse the Audemars Piguet watch collections and here to view the Ralph & Russo spring/summer 2021 digital show.